Samurai Jack: The Tale of a Warrior's Heart
by Kam2
Summary: Meet Tiona Phong. She's been hunting Jack for ages and finally after carefully stalking him, she captures him. What suprises and adventures await Jack and Tiona? (NEW CHAPTER UPLOADED!)
1. Default Chapter

Samurai Jack: The Tales of a Warrior's Heart  
  
Ch#1  
  
I was slowly sipping my Narrow-root tea as I watched cantina around me. It was a dingy sort of place where the lighting was kept low and most of the galaxy's washouts came. It used to be a bright sort of place before Aku's rule; Many a tail was told here of brave warriors, fearless bounty hunters, and great mercenaries. But that was gone now. The only thing good here was the tea and the alcoholic beverages served from the scrawny T'inithian man from behind the counter. T'inithinian's were loyal, peace-loving creatures who loved nothing more than to help others. They had blue skin and gills at the side of their necks with stubby little claws ending each tip of their fingers.  
  
I took another sip of my tea.  
  
As far as the bounty hunting business goes, there was a new bounty posted by Aku's Admirable, Admirable Kurai, for a certain samurai warrior. Kurai offered double the amount on the warrior's head should anyone return him alive.  
  
Two-hundred Googleplex.  
  
That was enough to buy your own galaxy if you wanted to.  
  
No doubt that the money was stolen. I thought.  
  
Aku's mercenaries were never known to be trustworthy creatures and were constantly stealing and killing each other money or for higher rankings.  
  
Fools.  
  
But yet, the bounty was worth taking and there was no doubt that I would get it. The entire cantina fell silent as a white robed man walked in. Each one of his steps were hauntingly silent. The basket shaped had sat low on his head hiding his eyes from view much like my hood. He walked silently over to the T'inithian bartender.   
  
"Wadda ya want?" Grunted the bartender.  
  
"Narrow-root tea, please," the robed man replied.  
  
I looked down at my table. The holo-page showed the exact same man I was hunting! This was indeed the samurai warrior I was to hunt. The foolish samurai Jack. Though thought to be foolish by many, Jack had a reasonably high intelligence and his fighting style with one Katana was something not to be underestimated. Jack was unfortunate to have walked in to this cantina with me here; I had studied his style and knew of every little trick he had and how to dodge it and then counter it with my own attack. Jack sat down at the table nearest to me with his tea. His basket pulled down low over his head. He sipped his tea quietly. All the other bounty hunters in the cantina were poised like snakes waiting to strike down their pray. Each one of those hunters placed their hands (or appendages) on their weapon of choice. I slowly looked up and watched all the hunters slowly close in on Jack like a pack of ravenous wolves. Jack looked up for a moment. His hand brushed the hilt of his katana and stayed.  
  
"GET HIM!" One of the hunters screamed at the top of his lungs.  
  
No sooner had he said that, the entire cantina around Jack erupted in violence. I couldn't see the samurai past the crowd of greedy hunters. All I could see was his katana slashing about taking each bounty hunter down one by one. This gave me the perfect diversion. I quickly snuck outside into the bright outdoor world beyond the cantina that was filled with trees. It was on the outskirts of town. I climbed up one of the tallest trees and stood there waiting for Jack. It wouldn't be long now. My contacts have warned me that Jack was coming here in the first place which gave me the chance to set up and be ready to set my plan in to motion.   
  
Just on cue, Jack leapt out of the cantina's swinging saloon doors slashing away a few of the remaining bounty hunters finishing them in one deadly swish. He killed each of them with chilling precision with his enchanted katana. When Jack was certain that all his attackers were finished, he slid his katana back in to its' sheave and left the cantina. Soon it'll be my turn. My chance to try my hand at fighting Jack. I sat patiently on my perch and waited for him like a spider waiting for a fly to be ensnared in its' silk web of death.   
  
Jack walked slowly down the dirt path which lead from the cantina to the countryside. I placed my gloved hand on the hilt of my katana ready to draw. Jack walked slowly under the tree branch I was perched on and passed. I eased myself off of the branch and landed behind Jack with my katana drawn. I snuck up behind Jack and pointed the blade tip to the back of Jack's head.  
  
"I wouldn't move and further, basket-head," I warned.  
  
My voice was so devoid of any emotion or warmth. Jack's hand moved quickly to the hilt of his katana. I knew what he was going to do next. Jack drew his katana and whirled around to catch my katana and brush it out of the way.  
  
I knew it!  
  
I let his blow sweep my katana away. I brought my katana around behind Jack's and slammed down on the back of it. Jack was caught off guard and nearly lost his katana. Instead, he tried to sweep my katana away again. Both samurai swords were enmeshed together; Jack's katana blocking mine and mine pushing in to Jack's. I quickly slid my katana down Jack's and over the hilt and on to his hands cutting at the flesh. Jack yelped and dropped his katana. I timed my moment just right. Before Jack picked up his Katana, I ducked, rolled, and grabbed his katana. I stood in cat-stance position with both katana ready for Five Rings style. Jack grabbed a branch off the ground and swung it at me. I dodged the branch and cut the branch with one of the katana. I narrowed my eyes.  
  
"You cannot win, Jack. I not only have my katana but your enchanted one," I said.  
  
I wasn't going to explain any further to avoid letting Jack on to my plans. Our fight had taken us far out in to the forest where my trap was set. Jack dropped his branch and picked up a few rocks. My eyes widened slightly. If he couldn't get close to me and fight, he will use a ranged weapon and damage me.  
  
Clever!  
  
He threw all the rocks he had at his disposal. I dodged most of them except one. The biggest rock he had was about the size of his fist and it came hurdling towards me and struck me in the head causing me to fling Jack's katana and to fall to the ground. My head throbbed. Jack grabbed his katana and stood over me ready to deliver the final blow. One that'll end my life.  
  
"You are good for a bounty hunter and had everything well planned except for that one thing," said Jack.  
  
Both his hands gripped the hilt of his enchanted samurai sword and prepared to plunge it in to my body. I had one last trick. One last trick that might spare my life. I switched to four-fold breathing. My hands heated up quickly. Behind Jack was a log hoisted on two ropes with only one weaker tree branch holding it back.   
  
Using my ki, I tried to ease the weak branch downwards to release the log. Jack's blade came closer. Closer to ending my life. My career. The branch snapped.  
  
"I'm a pretty good fighter for a women, eh, Jack?" I said with an evil grin.  
  
Jack's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"You are not a man?" Jack asked in shock.  
  
The log came hurdling down behind Jack.  
  
WHAM!  
  
It hit him in the back of the head causing him to fly over me and land in a heap behind me and his katana jabbed in to the ground beside my neck. Too close. Jack almost killed me. I got up and ran over to the heap that was Jack.  
  
"He's no good to me dead," I muttered under my breath as I ran over to Jack.  
  
I kneeled beside Jack and picked up his hand. I checked his pulse. Indeed he was still alive. I went in to one of my pouches and pulled out the power restraints and locked them around Jack's wrists.  
  
No one can lose to me, Tiona Phong, the greatest bounty hunter in any and every galaxy! 


	2. Chapter 2

Ch#2  
  
I held an ice pack to my head where Jack had hit me with that rock as I was driving my transport truck. Next to my mini starcruser, my truck was my best transport. One of my hands was on the joystick maneuvering the large vehicle. We would soon be stopping for the evening. I had a long way to go before I would reach my destination.  
  
Bree-pip-pip! Bree-pip-pip!  
  
My dashboard-commlink blipped on. An image appeared on the holo-screen which was located on the left half of the windshield. The threateningly evil visage of a shadow creature appeared on screen. The bottom half of the creature's sinister visage was wrapped in a red sash and he wore a dark war helmet to which all of Aku's Admirable wore. This which covered most of his face, only left his piercing yellow cat like eyes to pear out watching every move like a hawk.  
  
"It seems that you took quite a beating, Bounty Hunter," said the shadow creature as he referred to the ice pack I was holding to my head which hid the giant bruise I had there.  
  
"Do you want Jack or not? I could simply deliver him to Aku and tell him what you were up to!" I snapped.  
  
"I'm sorry, Bounty Hunter," said the creature sincerely as he gave a quick bow which made his elaborate head piece slide slightly forward on his head, "I assume you've captured Jack?"  
  
"Yes. He's alive, just as you asked, Admirable Kurai," I replied.  
  
"Good. You remember where to meet, don't you, Bounty Hunter?" Kurai asked.  
  
"Yes. I do. But that's quite a fair distance from here. I'd say it would at least take a week or two to get there," I replied.  
  
"If you can't make it, I'll send in another Hunter to come in and pick up the pieces for you," Kurai said slightly mockingly.  
  
Despite the fact that Kurai was only joking, I dreaded the thought of having someone taking the merchandise for me because I couldn't handle it. Such jokes made me sick.  
  
"You doubt me? If you do, you know I could have it arranged that I would come to kill you. You know very well who I am and what my Ki power is like," I said narrowing my eyes at the dark creature.  
  
"I am yet again terribly sorry, dear Bounty Hunter. I best leave you on your way."   
  
With that final notion left hanging in the air, the commlink blipped off. I sighed.  
  
Why can't such a fool capture Jack himself and present it to Aku rather than me capturing Jack and giving him so he can present such a prize to Aku? I thought.  
  
A bounty was a bounty. No matter how unpleasant the job was, it was still a job and a well-paying one at that. I checked the radar-map on the dark coloured dashboard. It was about time to quit for the evening and time to check up on the merchandise.   
  
I searched for a place in the shadowy forest to park. I chose to go off-road to avoid anyone following me. I finally found a place dense with foliage to park. This hid my truck from view. I slowly came to a stop and pulled my keys out of the transmission. I shoved them in to one of my stiff leather pouches and hopped out of the vehicle. I walked around to the back to the cargo area and slid open the door. It wasn't much. It held a few electro-cages and a living area where I cooked, slept, and prepared for each of my jobs. The Samurai was in one of the electro-cages with the restraints around his wrists and legs still. He would be awake any minute now. I hopped up in to the back in to the cooking area to see what I had. I opened a few cuboards. Nothing.  
  
It appears that I haven't really done any grocery shopping in a long time. I noted.   
  
I looked around behind me. The samurai began to stir. I didn't have too much to worry about from him. He was in an electro-cage all bound together. All I had to worry about was Hunt Sabotagers trying to steal my quarry to get the bounty for themselves. So I quickly grabbed my crossbow and bolts and hopped out of the back of the truck. I locked up and prepared to hunt for my meal.  
  
* * * *  
  
I lay low in the dense foliage waiting for my prey to wander out on to the clearing. I leveled my crossbow and trained it on an albino deer who was quietly eating the fresh green grass. Albino deers were fairly common around here. There was no worry in endangering the species because it was in healthy enough numbers that Aku didn't have to place a protection law upon it. I wasn't really sure why Aku had certain animal protection laws but my theory was that these laws were in place for some greater purpose in Aku's evil plot.   
  
My finger rested on the trigger waiting for the deer to wander right in to my cross hairs. The deer moved slowly forward and paused to sniff the air. It knew something was totally wrong. It was now or never. I pulled my finger back on the trigger. The bolt whizzed through the air and struck the deer in the side. The deer gave an ear splitting screech of pain and horror as my bolt pierced through its' skin and lodged itself in the deer's side. I pulled out another bolt and shot the deer again. The deer screeched again and fell to the soft earth below with a muffled thud. The deer twitched a little before dying in the grass. I got up and walked over to the deer. It was a nice kill for me. It should provide me enough meat for weeks. With my Ki, I begun to lift the albino deer off the ground and carry it with me.  
  
This should be sufficient. I thought.  
  
I walked back in to the foliage with the dead deer. I always regretted killing such beautiful things, that is if I could feel regret. I was much like a human machine. I had little emotions; The only emotions I had were extreme ones like anger. But even anger was a little dilute for me.  
  
I was about to walk past a berry bush before I stopped and looked at the berries. I needed some vegetables in my diet or I would risk my health once again. I reached down to pick some berries. I knew for a fact that the berries were safe for me to eat. They were Knucked Berries and were very good for one's health and digestion. I picked at least ten berries before something poked me in the finger. I quickly looked at my finger. A small trickle of red dribbled off my finger. I then looked down at what poked me. It was the poisonous Tenunga Plant. Tenungas were a thorn plant of the sort with very fine thorns on their leaves and stem. Since the leaves of a Tenunga looked very similar to Knucked Berry bush leaves, it would be very easy to confuse the two and end up getting pricked by the Tenunga leaves and end up getting poisoned. The poison wasn't very dangerous. At best, if one should get poked by the fine thorns, you would experience fever, headache, weakness in the limbs and a few stomach-flu like symptoms. I cursed myself. I should have gone hungry for the evening! It was too late now.  
  
At least the effects are temporary......  
  
* * * *  
  
I had set up a small campsite near the rear of my truck. I had also gathered some fire wood and created a small fire to keep myself warm and to cook my food. I wasn't going to attempt to cook my food yet because when I attempted to eat the berries I picked, they didn't stick with me very long due to the effects of the poison. So I chose to pull out my survival knife and carve a set of chopsticks from a set of small twigs that I found earlier. I also opened the back of the truck to let Jack have some fresh air at least (I wasn't quite inhuman to my merchandise unless I was payed to do it). Jack watched me quietly as I carved my chopsticks all the while I was getting weaker.  
  
"So now that you have caught me, what do you plan to do?" The quiet samurai asked finally breaking the silence.  
  
"Shut up, Jack. That's none of your business," I replied tonelessly.  
  
The knife slipped and cut my finger. I swore loudly. I used my Ki to quickly heal the small wound. I veered around to see Jack in his electro-cage still. I glared at him angrily before I went back to carving my chopsticks. There was another long and awkward silence before Jack yet again broke the silence.  
  
"You do not appear to be in good health. Perhaps you should seek some medical attention," Jack suggested.  
  
"My health is none of your business, Jack. The poison will wear off. I'll be fine," I said rasing my tone a little bit with the annoying samurai.  
  
"But you appear to be pale and weak. That is not a good sign," Jack persisted.  
  
"That's none of your business, Jack. Now shut up!" I snapped.  
  
It was a complete enigma why Aku wanted Jack so badly! The samurai was so highly annoying, Aku would fry him on the spot most likely. My head throbbed. I put my knife away and lay on my side and closed my eyes.  
  
"You were using all your remaining strength to keep yourself up," Jack stated.  
  
"Shut up, Samurai," I muttered.  
  
I had no energy left to deal with him. Perhaps I should take Jack's advice and seek medical attention in the morning should my condition get any wor....... I started to drift off. I forced myself awake again so I could protect my quarry.   
  
Perhaps a conversation with Jack?  
  
No. That was out of the question. No doubt if I started talking to that stupid samurai that he wouldn't shut up and become greatly annoying or start convincing me to do things that I wouldn't normally do. I was too comfortable and tired so I began to drift off.  
  
* * * *  
  
I lay low in the dense foliage waiting for my prey to wander out on to the clearing. I leveled my crossbow and trained it on an albino deer who was quietly eating the fresh green grass. Albino deers were fairly common around here. There was no worry in endangering the species because it was in healthy enough numbers that Aku didn't have to place a protection law upon it. I wasn't really sure why Aku had certain animal protection laws but my theory was that these laws were in place for some greater purpose in Aku's evil plot.   
  
My finger rested on the trigger waiting for the deer to wander right in to my cross hairs. The deer moved slowly forward and paused to sniff the air. It knew something was totally wrong. But something stopped me from pulling the trigger. I heard the crushing of dead vegetation and the cracking of twigs. It sounded like footsteps. I knew something was wrong. I looked around. There was nothing.  
  
"Jack?" I called out to the creature that was supposedly walking towards me.  
  
Yet there was no reply.  
  
"Jack!" I called again.  
  
Yet again there was no reply. Just the same footsteps moving a little more faster and some small chattering.  
  
"Jack! You have better not be out of your cage!" I snarled.  
  
Then I felt something cold and metallic poke me on the back of my neck. I spun around. There was nothing. I knew there was something horribly wrong.   
  
My eyes snapped open. All I could see in front of me were furry little feet badly bandaged up in what appeared to be footwear. I looked up. What I saw wasn't a pleasant sight. I was looking up the pleated kilt of a furry—  
  
"JABBERWOKIES!" I yelped as I sat right up.  
  
There were thousands of the furry little creatures and they were ransacking the camp! Jabberwokies were basically junk-dealing creatures who understood very little English (Just enough to make a deal and to get more money hence the fact that their numeric system went by the multiples of eight) and preferred to get their "junk" from stupid travelers who didn't cover up and hide their supplies from these two foot tall terrors. I quickly picked up the nearest object closest to me (which were my chopsticks) and stood up.  
  
"GET AWAY! THIS IS MY JUNK! NOT YOURS!" I shouted as I chased after these creatures with the pair of chopsticks.  
  
The Jabberwokies screamed and yelped as I came towards them making jabbing motions at the Jabberwokies with my chopsticks menacingly. The Jabberwokies ran away screaming and dropping whatever they were carrying. Once all the Jabberwokies were gone. I crossed my arms and smiled. Jack, who was asleep at the time, had woken up briefly to see me chase all the Jabberwokies away. I looked around.  
  
"Go to sleep, Jack. They were only Jabberwokies," I said with a sigh.  
  
I heard more footsteps and the trees rustled a bit. I veered around. Nothing. I looked back at Jack in the electro-cage. He was fast asleep again. I heard the footsteps again. I looked around behind me.  
  
"If it's another one of you little runts, I will kill you with my chopsticks or at least make sure you never collect 'junk' from me again!" I snapped.  
  
But it wasn't a little Jabberwoky. A huge creature came crashing through the bushes. It was taller then seven feet and it's shaggy fur was caked with molds and fungus. It's long sharp fangs protruded from it's bear-like head and were covered in rot and decay and the creature itself smelt horrible. This was not a pleasant sight. The creature lumbered slowly toward me; Each bone crushing step came towards me. It's piercing yellow and red hungry gaze locked in my direction and I had forgotten my Katana in the front seat of my truck. 


	3. Chapter 3

Ch#3  
  
The creature gave a thundering roar as it charged at me with its' long yellow claws ready to strike me. I tucked my body in and rolled under the razor sharp claws. As I was rolling, I managed to pick up a burning club from the camp fire. I stood up and turned. The creature charged at me yet again. It was picking up speed. I lunged at the creature and jabbed my burning club in to the creature as though it were my katana. I had smacked the creature across the face. It screamed as it flung me back with its' gigantic paws. Jack woke up.  
  
"Bounty Hunter!" Jack exclaimed.  
  
I landed smack in to a tree trunk and slumped down. I growled as I looked up at the creature. It was going to charge at me again. I summoned all my Ki and leaped up in to the branches before the creature can strike me again.  
  
"BOUNTY HUNTER, OPEN THE CAGE! LET ME HELP YOU!" Jack shouted.  
  
I somersaulted over the creature and landed behind it thrusting my club in to its' backside. The creature stumbled forward in to the tree trunk.  
  
"AS IF, JACK! IF I DID, I'LL BE THE CRAZIEST BOUNTY HUNTER IN THE GALAXY!" I yelled.  
  
Just as soon as the last word came out of my mouth, I was grabbed in a bear-hug by the creature. It was syphoning off all the air to my lungs and starting to crush all the bones in my body.  
  
"BOUNTY HUNTER!" The samurai exclaimed again.  
  
I had no choice. I struggled in the massive creature's grasp and went in to one of my pouches. I pulled out a remote-controller and pressed a button. The cage door flung open and the restraints dropped to the ground. As soon as the cage door was opened, Jack leaped out of there like a wild animal. His soft looks harden as he charged at the creature. Instead of body-slamming the creature, Jack power-slid past the creature and landed behind it. I didn't see what Jack was doing after that. The creature let out a painful screech as it let go and dropped me to the ground. What I didn't see was that Jack picked up one of my survival knives and stabbed the creature in the back of the leg.  
  
"JACK! THAT WON'T HOLD HIM FOR LONG! GATHER WHAT YO CAN AND GET IN THE BACK! HURRY!" I shouted to Jack.  
  
Jack instantly scrambled to pick up the supplies. I ran to the truck and grabbed the dead deer that I was planning to eat and tossed it to the ground for the creature to devour. Jack, with the remaining supplies in hand jumped up in to the back of the vehicle and dumped the supplies to the floor.  
  
"JACK! ONCE YOU GET IT TO THE TRUCK, SHUT THE DOOR! WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!" I hollered.  
  
I dashed up to the front of the truck, opened the front cabin door and hopped in. I turned on the engine and revved it. I was ready to leave. I looked in the rearview mirror. Jack had left the knife behind and went to go get it. I poked my head out the side window.  
  
"JACK! WE HAVE NO TIME FOR THAT! GET IN!" I screamed.  
  
Jack ignored me. Instead, he bent down to pick up the knife. The creature began to charge toward him ignoring the deer.   
  
"JACK!" I screamed again.  
  
I had no other choice. I slammed my foot on the gas and the breaks a the same time creating a smoke screen of dirt and dust to give Jack a diversion. I let my foot off of the breaks thinking Jack was safely on board. The truck shot forward like a bullet. For the first time, I was able to breath easier. But that was short-lived. I took a Ki census. Jack's Ki was far behind. I looked in to the rear view mirror. Jack was running to catch up to the truck and at the same time, the creature was running after him. I poked my head out the side window again.  
  
"JACK! JUMP IN!" I screeched.  
  
Jack was slowing down.  
  
"JACK!" I yelled in fear that he may never catch up.  
  
Jack'sm eyes narrowed as he struggled to run faster. The creature was gaining on him. Jack went in to a crouch and leaped up in to the back. It had all slowed down to a nauseating crawl. Jack soared through the air with the creature inches behind him. The samurai landed in the back of the vehicle unharmed. I pulled up the commlink and dialed in the frequency to the back of the truck hoping Jack will pick up.  
  
Blip!  
  
Jack's face appeared on holo-screen.  
  
"Jack! See the black garbage bags in the kitchen? I forgot to jettison them when I was in my starcruiser earlier on. Toss those at it! It should slow it down!" I instructed.  
  
"I will do so," Jack said promptly as he turned to get the nearest garbage bag.  
  
I looked at the rearview mirror. Surely enough, several dark plastic bags flew out of the back and hit the creature. The creature was caught in the mess of flying junk and began to trip over it. The last bag flew out and hit the creature in the face causing the creature to fall back in to a heap. The door to the back of my truck closed shut. We were safe now. Jack popped back on to the commlink.  
  
"What was that?" Jack asked slightly out of breath.  
  
"A Mpunga..... very horrible creature. They're man-eaters and cannibals," I said breathing heavily.  
  
I couldn't believe what happened and what I've just done. I've let the samurai out of his cage and allowed him to help me!  
  
At least we're safe....  
  
But the samurai was out of his cage. If I start to have feelings for him, I'll never get him to Kurai and I would be possibly letting him free. I shook my head free of this nonsense that clouded my goals and my ambitions. I am a Bounty Hunter. The best there is. And I have no real emotions to hold me back. I am a human machine programmed to preform one task, to hunt for bounties.   
  
I focused on the road ahead of me. I had a long way to go and if I let Jack go before I got there, I would never get my two googleplex that was sitting on Jack's head and my legendary reputation among the other Bounty Hunters in the galaxy would then be tarnished.   
  
I took a moment to look up at the starry night sky. Dark black clouds tainted the night sky and it began to rain. 


End file.
